Scroll of the Fox
by Reah-Kitsune
Summary: One-shots and spin-offs from my story, A Fox's Dying Will (crossover with Nurarihyon). Check the main story out please ! This one is mostly consisted of the requests the winners from my questions in the end of each chapter. Enjoy! (no specific genre or rating) Beware of the occasional occness and mild fight scenes.
1. Of Idiots and Flames

**Dedicated to Darknessmoonsglow (AO3)**

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Reborn wasn't really sure when it happened; he just knew that it did. It might have started sometime during or after their fight against Byakuran in the future. Or maybe even earlier when he saw the true potential Tsuna possessed that was nearly destroyed due Nono's reckless decision to seal the young Sky's flames. He'd already had a few choice words with Timoteo about that, but it was beyond the point. What mattered right now were the Sky flames he could feel hesitantly hanging around his flame core. They weren't trying to reach it but they were also not backing away, like afraid to make contact yet not wanting to give up. He could sense the physical exhaustion of their owner but they were unwavering; strong and vibrant and oh so pure. _'Oh curse lifting be damned…'_ He knew those flames; knew the owner. He trained the bloody idiot himself after all. Those beautiful and comforting Sky flames that he nurtured belonged to his reckless yet amazing little student; they belonged to Tsuna.

He really couldn't help feeling proud for his student nor the fondness that accompanied it. In his time in the mafia, many Skies had tried to rope him into a guardian; a few more subtly than others. None of them though really succeeded. They were either too weak to tame his powerful Sun flames or had already possessed a full set of Guardians, thus not feeling too inclined to bond with him. Luce had been a prime example of the latter. She was the strongest Sky he had met but she already had a full set. There had been tentative bonds between the Arcobaleno but nothing solid. Despite the respect they held for her, they were all deeply hurt by her betrayal. She had foreseen everything yet she chose to remain silent. She had her own reasons, he was sure of that, but it didn't lessen the impact at the end. So feeling those pure and strong Sky flames practically asking for Harmonization, he felt inclined to respond in kind.

He allowed his Sun flames to extend from his core and wound around the tendril of warm orange fire. A silent moment passed, lasting naught but a few milliseconds, before he felt as though a thick cloud of smog had been blown away from his mind. Gone was the dark grey at the edge of his mind, the paranoia and insanity he acquired in his line of work; it was replaced by vibrant orange and golden colors, giving him a sense of clarity. It was simply euphoric. Breaking away from his haze, he ignored Fon and Collonelo's questioning looks and focused on his student. A small gasp had sounded from the winded teen before his head whipped at the hitman's direction. Everything became background noise as their eyes locked from across the clearing. Tsuna had a stunned look at his face, eyes shining with confusion and… was that hope? Yeah, it certainly was. Reborn lifted his fedora and smirked with open pride at the teen. A single clear tear escaped the young boss' brilliant orange eyes before they closed and the most beautiful smile graced his face. It seemed like everyone present in the clearing had stopped their conversations to simply stare at the brunette.

They all secretly agreed that day on one thing; Tsuna was a saint in their dark world. That and his smile, so full of innocence, was a weapon for world domination.

xxx

Old man Talbot had informed them that despite the curse been lifted, their bodies would gradually grow back to how they were. Most of them had openly groaned at that; they would have to go through puberty again. Not to mention the pain and cramps their growing bones and stretching muscles would ensue. Reborn had the urge to violently beat someone at the thought. Before he could make a move to Skull though, lithe arms scooped him up. Looking up his obsidian eyes met caramel ones. Tsuna had guessed what he was about to do and decided to save the immortal Cloud for yet another beating.

Holding firmly on the tiny Sun, he let his Sky flames flare around him, a barely noticeable shimmer under the surface. Reborn felt them envelope him like a comforting blanket, relaxing his high strung nerves and nearly turning his body into jelly. It was weird; the kind of weird that you can't help like despite your skepticism. He suspected it was because of the Harmonization. No other theory matched the results. He refused to think about that ridiculous one his mind tried to push into the forefront. No way could that ever happen. So, shaking those thoughts away, he relaxed into the warmth of the Sky flames, feeling them purr with satisfaction. He couldn't help himself thinking about how instinctual, how _primal_ , Tsuna sometimes felt. From the way he looked at certain people, to the feeling of his flames. They were wild; not the untamed one, no. It was a controlled wildness, like someone who knew true freedom and lived by their own rules without being hazardous.

If he was really truthful, it scared him sometimes. When the sun had long since set, in the dead of the night, he'd spent hours contemplating and thinking, organizing his thoughts. In those instances he would think of Tsuna and what he saw in him. While he could read his student like an open book, there were times it felt like he was standing in front of a waterfall and he was trying to analyze a tiny photo hidden behind it. He could see the faint outline and blurred colors but nothing to ponder upon. He could only guess about it; and he hated guess-games with a vengeance. Even so though, the conclusions he came upon where never nice. So many scenarios circled his head and none of them something to be happy about or tease-worth material. That was what he feared and hated in equal measures. It was an unknown variety, a true wild card; to the point not even he could pinpoint the outcome.

Now though, being so close to those wild yet pure flames, he felt secure. Something had come undone in them and brought them the stability they lacked all this time. Now they roared and pulsed with warmth he could see made everyone that had a bond with Tsuna have a near constant euphoric look in their eyes. There was also the sense of clarity that accompanied it. He could feel his own volatile flames calm down. It was simply amazing how the flames of someone years younger than him could leave the effect it did in his psych.

xxx

It was with a sudden jolt that Reborn woke up that night. It had been a couple of years since that fateful day. Now he physically looked like a ten year old. Still annoying to be passed as a child in civilian eyes but he could at least do a lot more things than back then. He still did missions when requested by the Vongola or other allied families that paid him well, but he had minimized them. He'd decided to stay with Tsuna and his misfits of guardians for the foreseeable future. They were just too amusing to tease and be around for him to return to that dull apartment back in Palermo. But that was beside the point now. What was it that awoke him?

Out of years of habit, he checked every shadow around the familiar room and listened for anything out of the ordinary. Everything seemed to be in place; so what was this feeling of unease that seemed to envelope him. Leon was sleeping soundlessly on top his fedora at the nightstand, so he grabbed the silenced pistol he'd hidden under his pillow. He made to move from his bed when a sudden thought crashed his mind. 'Tsuna!' His instinct seemed to roar the brunette's name continuously. He quickly checked though their flame link and what came back was unsetting. Immense distress and fear leaked through the bond in such strong waves it made him stumble.

Composing himself, he slipped from the room he claimed as his own in the Sawada house and with silent steps rushed upstairs to the brunette's room, all the while keeping track of his surroundings. Not wasting any time, he opened the door, raised his gun and surveyed the room. The window was closed, curtains closed off; papers and essays scattered across the desk, the screen's On button lazily flickering orange. Everything seemed to be in the ordered chaos he left it when he last exited the room…expect from the thrashing Sky in the bed. Tsuna wasn't under any physical danger; he was ailed by what seemed to be nightmares.

Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart (when had it started racing?) he calmly approached the other's bed. Placing the gun at the nightstand he sat at the edge, keeping in mind to leave enough space for the brunette to flail about. Watching the other's pained expression and furrowed brows and using their link as a guide, he slowly sifted his weight so the sleeping mafia boss could register the other presence. A distressed moan ensued and Tsuna hit the pillow closest to the hitman. Reborn firmly held the hand in place before in one fluid motion he was sitting on top the other, his other hand mimicking its twin. A small, barely audible, wail escaped the boss' lips, a small mantra of 'no's following suit along with more thrashing. His eyes were still tightly closed, what seemed like tears spieling from the edges. The ravenette could feel his heart constrict from the sight, making him confused for an instant before rudely shoving his feelings away. He needed to focus.

It took him a bit, but with the gentlest voice he could master, he calmed his student, slowly coaxing him into awareness. Bright orange eyes slowly opened, dazed and shining from the tears. Reborn let his grip grow lax and made to move from his position. Tsuna though didn't let him. With a speed the hitman barely detected, he found himself being hugged from the brunette. His back felt extraordinarily warm with an equally warm breath ghosting over his nape of the neck. He stayed there staring at the opposite wall in surprised daze before narrowing his eyes and getting ready to whack the other. His choice though was made for him again when calmness washed over him from the Harmonization bond. He felt Tsuna relaxing; his breathes growing deeper and finally falling asleep. What surprised him more though were the Sun flames inside him. They usually were a constant motion, a comforting white noise in the back of his mind; now though they were flaring and sparking like no tomorrow.

It made him both dizzy and edgy. He didn't like it one bit. Why did his flames decide to flip him the bird when near to Tsuna? The Harmonization had been smooth. So why show signs of instability now?

The next day, was an interesting affair. Tsuna had woken up hugging a sleeping hitman and feeling flustered before said man-child whacked him hard on the head upon been woken up from his shriek. Reborn had interrogated the young Vongola, leaving him with the frustrating answer of a childhood nightmare. Thus another day spent tor-tutoring his idiotic student before sitting him down that night and extensively explaining about Harmonization and its types.

It had been one long night and, unknown to both of them, the same idea started to blossom deep in their minds.

xxx

It had been a few truly frustrating years for both the hitman and the 10th generation; for the hitman because he hated puberty and the cramps that racked his muscles and for the guardians and the boss because of their preparations for college. Tsuna had also his ascension as the 10th Boss of Vongola looming over his head. So in a last desperate attempt for everyone to forget their soon-to-be responsibilities, they planned a trip to the beach.

The Sawada house was buzzing that hot summer day. Reborn, now looking to be around his eighteens, was in the kitchen helping Nana and Tsuna with packing their snacks. The sandwiches the two brunettes had prepared looked divine in their simplicity; the light salads accompanying them were just too inviting. A portable refrigerator waited beside the ravenette's feet. He had been tasked with making sure to get everyone's favourite cold drinks. It was a job he would've gladly passed too anyone else, even the crybaby cow, if it wasn't for the fact that he wanted to at least enjoy his second favorite beverage. Since the steaming cup of espresso wouldn't be available, or really appropriate for such a hot day, he had scouted the whole of Namimori for some good iced cappuccino. In the end, he requested for Tsuna to make him one, since he could find no better than the brunette's; and that was praise.

Tsuna had really inherited his mother's talents in the kitchen. When the two of them got engrossed into preparing a feast, like holiday's gatherings or the occasional meeting-turned-dinner the young boss was required to have for building connections, the recipients always left with full bellies and the most satisfying smile of their lives. Their cooking was just that good. So with that in mind, he continued to observe them prepare the last of the sandwiches, wrap them and place them in the cooling food's basket beside him on the counter.

When the last of them was placed inside and the lid closed, the two chefs nodded at each other with a self-satisfying smile. Taking it as a cue that they were ready, Reborn hefted both baskets and made his way to the door. Passing the living room, where the rest of the family were gathered checking that they had everything they'd need with them, he announced that they were ready to leave. Small happy squeaks escaped Chrome, I-pin, Fuuta and Lambo. Kyoko and Haru silently cheered beside the four with the rest of the guardians having a variety of smiles adorning their faces, all equally happy nonetheless. Tsuna soon followed the hitman with Nana intow to shoo them off wishing a good time.

They all pilled in two jeeps borrowed from Dino and set off for some quality time as family. Hibari had gone ahead of the rest to reserve a nice spot for them. Even the aloof and solitary Cloud needed to gather around the rest of the elements from time to time.

 _A few hours later_

They had arrived quite a while ago and once everything had been settled, the youngest along with the most eager made a beeline to the sparkling sea. Tsuna had openly laughed at the scene of his guardians and family making idiots of themselves and simply having fun. Reborn, who was sitting beside him under one of the umbrellas was slightly chuckling. The young Sky's laugh was really contagious; even Hibari scoffed in amusement from the umbrella behind them. What though cut the hitman's amusement short were the looks women shot at his student (friend?). Something sour rose inside him and annoyed him. They were annoying him; not that he couldn't understand their looks of appreciation and lust thrown at the brunette.

Tsuna had developed nicely through the years. Though his stature was nothing compared to the rest male guardians in muscles, his body was no less well build. He was shorter than the rest, that's true, but he was the fastest and most flexible out of all of them. Since his body wasn't build for strength, Reborn focused in helping adjust his training regime to benefit him and bring out all the better assets of his. Now, everyone could see that result. A young adult, confident in his own skin, with a lithe body yet well defined muscles when they flexed, he was no longer the Dame-Tsuna he was known during his school years. Gone was the baby fat that had clung to his cheeks when Reborn met him; his features now perfectly showed his Italian heritage, making resemble the Primo more than ever. He had let his hair steadily grow out and, while from the front he was a carbon copy of Giotto, his hair at the reached just bellow his shoulders.

So in short, Reborn could really understand them for practically drooling after Tsuna. Even he, a man, found himself staring at the brunette after an intense work out or when he entered his Boss Mode. It made his flames all jittery, something he could still tried to comprehend why. Though now, observing all these women eyeing the young boss like wolves eyeing a juicy steak and tasting the sour feeling it left, he could hesitantly name what he was feeling. He, the greatest hitman, was jealous. Once he fully processed that, it left him confused and a little scared. It meant that sometime down the line he had developed feelings for his student. That wouldn't do. He couldn't have feelings for him.

Oh he wasn't in denial. He knew what he felt; he acknowledged it even. He just couldn't let them blossom to anything further. As much as it constricted his heart at the thought, the younger man would need to acquire a legitimate heir someday. Reborn wouldn't be able to offer that even when he didn't mind the idea of him being a father one day. Last time he checked, Tsuna was male, so yeah…there goes that idea. Also, as he already stated, Tsuna was male. He'd seen him checking out girls before. Even after his crush on Kyoko and later Haru passed, he still noticed other girls before. Heck, Reborn knew that the brunette had quite a steamy make out session with that American girl at their last trip in USA. The young boss had told him everything, from how a good kisser she was to how clingy she became after Tsuna changed his mind and didn't want to go further with her. Luckily she hadn't known the hotel they stayed in. The hitman had openly laughed in mirth at the other's mortifying expression.

Since then Tsuna had tried dating a few other girls, some from his school some from the small café he worked part-time in, but none of them were really his type. With each girl, Reborn had felt in the pit of his stomach, hi jealously to build up. It seemed that today was the last drop. Feeling frustrated with himself, he shrugged off the thin shirt he was wearing and made to go in the sea. Some cold water would probably do good to the ensuing headache.

Tsuna from his spot, had noticed the slowly darkening expression of the hitman, but before he could ask what was wrong the other was up and gone. It startled him so much that he barely managed to catch the white shirt the other carelessly threw his way. He stared confused at it, folding it on auto-pilot, before turning to look at Kyoya behind him in question. The Cloud in question cracked an eye open and seeing the enquiry at the others gaze he softly scoffed and simply jabbed a thumb at a cluster of woman who eyed them both. They squeaked and blushed for being noticed. Tsuna barely spared them a glance before turning to look at the swimming figure at the distance. He thought that maybe Reborn got annoyed with them. His intuition hummed partially in agreement and denial. It whispered a reason to him, but he quickly disregarded it. It was too insane and unluckily; just a wishful thinking from his part most likely.

The young mafia boss had started fancying the hitman since some time now. He was pleasantly surprised when he had announced that he would follow the brunette for as long as it felt necessary a few years ago. He was accustomed to his company by that time and the slight more open feelings he showed the following years were even more appealing to the brunette. He liked the wit and sarcasm the other playfully threw around in their mockery of argument. The hitman, without maybe noticing it himself, had opened up more to Tsuna than anyone else. Even Bianchi had noticed that and soon stopped trying to advance on Reborn. A part of him had sighed in relief for reasons he couldn't comprehend back then and another went out for the pink haired female. He came to respect her as a big sister figure and looking at her crestfallen expression, even if it lasted seconds before she composed herself, had made his heart bleed with sympathy for her. Now though, he was kinda glad she had stopped her advances. Tsuna could count one less 'love rival'.

He scoffed at his own thoughts. No way that the hitman would see him like that anytime soon. While he no longer felt uncomfortable in his skin, what with all the seals limiting his abilities, he knew he wasn't that attractive. Sure he got out on dates a few times and had that… adventure, for lack of better wording, with that blimp of a girl back in America. Seriously, that huge chest was so unnatural for such a slim figure; not to mention her clingy personality and open lust she displayed. He was almost scarred for life when she tried to take control. He knew he would never look at gingers the same way anymore. A small shiver travelled up his spine just thinking of her.

Shoving those thoughts away, he looked at the hitman again…only to have his breath caught in his throat. There, just emerging from the sea, was the sexiest person he'd ever seen. He could feel a blush blossom on his cheeks, the rest of his blood rushing south. Shifting his position he looked with mesmerized eyes at the sight that could easily came out from a modeling photo shoot. Reborn was slowly exiting the sea, the water now half way down his knees. Slender fingers slicked back his wet hair, perfectly fitting his Italian features and hard obsidian eyes. Droplets of salt water drew lines across a chiseled figure, hard muscles pulled taught from the underwater exercise outlined from the shining water. His black swimming shorts clung to his legs and with every step more of those long legs emerged from the water. He looked like a model, like a god descending on Earth. To Tsuna though, in his own humble opinion, he simply looked like sex on legs. At that moment, he realized he didn't simply like Reborn; he loved him.

The rest of their trip was spent with Tsuna trying to reign in the usual chaos that his family brought about, ignoring how hot Reborn looked, being his oblivious self when it came to women and simply having fun with his little family of misfits and weirdoes.

xxx

What completely changed the dynamic between the hitman and the young Mafia Boss was one last night out of the guardians before departing for Italy. They had all been accepted into the same collage they wanted; in different departments of course, but they could still share the same dormitory. Even Lambo would be coming with them. He would attend a boarding school near them so they could check on him regularly. So in regards to their success, they decided to party out in a local night club; rules of not getting drunk before a flight be damned.

Reborn being Reborn, hardly got drunk even after drinking more than everyone. Hayato was the second less drunk and thus tasked with taking Ryohei and Takeshi back home. Mukuro, while drunk himself, slurred a goodnight to the rest before escorting Chrome back to their small apartment, courtesy of Tsuna and Vongola. Lambo hadn't come with them since he was still a minor. He was safely tacked into his bed sleeping peacefully. That only left Reborn with a highly drunk Tsuna to drag home. It was…fun. Well, it certainly amused the hitman when the brunette started singing off key and had him chuckling in seconds when the other slurred his complains about the Vongola echelons; in Italian nonetheless. He sometimes switched to English, but not often and never in Japanese for some weird reason.

Reborn was only that happy when he remembered that Nana had gone over to a friend's house to help with their daughter's wedding preparations and she would be sleeping over. She had thankfully taken the cow and I-pin with her for help. So, without minding how noisy the keys sounded when he unlocked the front door or how hard he slammed it close before locking it again, he continued to dutifully lead the brunette to his room. He could only imagine the hangover all of them will get tomorrow but that was something he would deal with later. Now he focused to steadily ascend the stairs with the strangely silent brunette, who was practically being dragged.

It felt ages when they reached the brunette's room and finally laid said man to his bed. Tsuna groaned at the sifting and lazily covered his eyes with his hand. It seemed that his Sky flames were already working to burn away the alcohol. It was both fortunate and unfortunate. It meant he had a higher immunity than most to any kind of intoxication and possible poisoning but it also meant that only the strongest of alcoholic beverages would affect him. Reborn was somewhat the same; though he started with a far lower tolerance than Tsuna and slowly built it for the sake of his work. His Sun flames helped to metabolize the drinks quicker but he still got freakish headaches the first few times.

As he mused about that he barely noticed the orange shine in Tsuna's eyes. When he finally did he felt a shiver travel down his spine. There was that primal look again; now though it was also filled with determination. As he stared at those eyes, the brunette slowly raised himself from the bed in by far more fluid movements than before. His flames were really in overdrive. He was still a bit wobbly when he got up, but his stride got surer as he approached the hitman. When he just inches apart from the other, he did something that would change both them. He leaned up and kissed Reborn on the lips.

The hitman was momentarily surprised, before he answered back with as much fervor. Their kissed grew surer and deeper as they went until they both surfaced for some much needed air.

"What was that for Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn's deep voice had dropped another octave as he looked deep into those orange eyes. He would've dismissed the other's action as something induced from alcohol, but that gaze held such clarity in it that he would only lie to himself.

"That, was something I should've done ages ago." A soft smile accented his features, a light blush accompanying it. A flicker of uncertainty passed by his eyes before he continued; the arms that still held onto his waist giving him hope. " I'm going to say this now before reality crushes down again… Reborn, I love you. I have for some time now and… I just want you to know that I'm really thankful for everything you've done for me, for the time you spent teaching me or just staying by my side when you could've just left and…and I will always hold you in high regard no matter what the outcome of tonight might be…" By the time he finished his rumblings, he had lowered his head, not daring to look the other at the eye and see the rejection.

What he didn't expect when he felt the arms withdrawing from his waist was for the same hands to cradle his face and gently bring it up. Calloused thumbs wiped the tears that had escaped his eyes despite his stubbornness to hold them in. Onyx eyes, as dark as the night, looked back at his flickering orange with an openness that was so uncharacteristic of the hitman that dearly surprised him. There, hidden deep in that abyss was the fondness and love he yearned to see in the other's gaze for so long. Reborn didn't say anything; he didn't need to. His eyes were answer enough. Tsuna never felt that elated before in his life.

They spent that night together, glad to be the only occupants of the house. At that moment when they were one they felt something in their bond shift and slide into place; like a missing cog filling in the gap so the already working clock to work even more efficiently. At that moment they simply knew that they've found their partner for life, their soulmate.

In the end, did it really matter that Reborn had to spend all those hellish years before he rose into rank and then the frustration that followed the Arcobaleno curse? Did it matter that Tsuna lived with parts of himself sealed, his soul permanently scarred from years of abuse and imbalance, scars littering his body from fights that nearly cost him his life and those of his family? Did it matter that both were going against what the society and Vongola would demand later on?

No…no it didn't really matter; because now they had each other and that…that was enough for them.

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 **If you see any mistakes or errors please ignore them? I proof read it but I might have missed something. I hope you enjoy and it is to your liking~!**


	2. Strings of Fate and wrestling moves

**Dedicated to Kuro42Neko (FF)**

* * *

Tsuna can count in one hand the times he slightly regretted his yōkai heritage. He usually bathed in the knowledge that he was different; more special than the humans living around him. It was his solace when the bullies' verbal and physical abuse became too much for his younger self. Despite that though, there were instances he just wished to be a normal human; well, as normal as someone involved with the Mafia can be at least.

* * *

The first time it happened it was during the impromptu field trip their class took to an old shrine deep in the mountains surrounding Namimori. Takeshi still had his arm in a sling, but his smile at least wasn't the same fake one when around Tsuna and Hayato. Their history teacher was an enthusiast when it came to happenings from the Edo period; especially the events that lead to the Meiji Restoration. Thus, he led them to a Shinto shrine that was located deep in the forest. It was built there from the hunters and trappers of the region as a way to pray to the mountain Gods, make their offerings and seek asylum from the harsh weather of winter. Dating back to early 1800, it was the second oldest preserved shrine near or in Namimori.

The trek up the mountain pass was a tedious one. Thick foliage surrounded them from every direction, making the sea of trees seem endless. The sun barely shone through the branches, casting shadows every which way. The forest seemed alive; something that freaked out the population of students with only a few exceptions. The future Vongola Decimo with his Storm and Rain along with Kurokawa Hana, were the only students that didn't seemed phased. They stayed close to their teacher, who was amiably chatting about this and that, and simply looking around them with fascination. They saw the tranquility the shadows kept hidden and bathed in the freshness the air seem to carry.

When they had been hiking for nearly an hour and no shrine was at sight, a lot of students had begun worrying that they were lost. Tsuna though, knew better. Since the very first step into the overgrown path, they encountered a number of small stone statues. They were guides, placed there to show the correct path. It was because of them that the brunette knew they weren't lost; that and the fact that the closer they got to the shrine the more he could sense the aura coming from it. He had felt since they entered the forest. He wondered what it would feel like up close. He certainly wasn't disappointed. Just as they passed a cluster of vines draped over branches like curtains, they entered a clearing. A modest shrine stood at the far end, a beautiful and well-cared zen garden around it. It was a small piece of heaven hidden deep in this forest. A priestess was swiping the front steps, her garment of white and red a stark contrast to the earthy tones of the scenery.

Noticing her approaching guest and pausing on her chores, she rose a head of raven hair, meticulously cut bangs framing a heart shaped face and vibrant blue eyes. Faint crinkles around her eyes betrayed a joyful personality and her age. The panting and sweating teenage boys tried to compose themselves at the sight of the beautiful lady. Tsuna casted them a flitting gaze and a chuckle before focusing in the aura that surrounded them; like a blanket, it draped over them in a safe and comforting cocoon. The fact that this place had retained its holly presence through the passage of time was truly magnificent. There weren't many shrines that still had it, but he guessed it had to do with both the location and the presence of the land god he sensed.

Looking back at the Miko, he noticed that their teacher was conversing with her before gesturing at the students. The woman casted her blue gaze at them and nodded at the man. They both made their way to stand at the front of the teenagers. She welcomed them at the shrine; her voice akin to a bird had captivated them. She ushered them to cleanse themselves at the fountain behind her. Tsuna was the last one to do so and as soon as the purified water touched him he felt a portion of himself weakening. While the aura around him was relaxing, the cleansing depleted his yōkai reserves. He could quickly feel though his weak flames trying to fill in the energy gap. He felt a little faint but shrugged off the concerned looks of his friends. He was glad Reborn wasn't with them. The hitman would certainly have picked up on his strange behavior.

They were then led into a spacious room of the shrine where they were served tea from a few Miko-in-training girls. Unlike their teacher whose hair cascaded freely down her back, theirs were held up in severe bun. They didn't interact with anyone and as soon they served the last cup, they were up and out of the room. Tsuna was immensely glad for that. He felt it as soon as they entered the room; those girls were yōkai. They felt a little off though; like they were part of this place and not different entities. Then it hit him; they were earth-bound guardians, yōkai tasked to protect certain locations or items. The image of the four statues, a pair of Komainu at the bottom of the mountain and another at the entrance of the shrine, entered his mind. He wanted to facepalm so badly for forgetting about them.

He instead focused on what the Miko was saying. She was retailing them the history of the shrine, why it was built here, who built it and such tidbits. It was the first time that their class's boys were paying such avid attention, the brunette noticed. Sure they had beautiful teachers before making more than half of the student body population drool after them, but this was certainly a first. He could easily pin point each classmate that had absolutely zero interest in history, yet even they were captivated. He could hear a faint whisper at the back of his mind, like whispers in the wind, but he couldn't understand it. He knew it was the infamous Vongola Intuition; he just couldn't hear it completely unless he or someone he cared about was in mortal danger. He guessed it had to do with Nono sealing his flames, thus taking any opportunity of them developing properly.

He didn't blame the old man though. He knew he was just doing what he believed was best for everyone. Tsuna was too young to get involved with the mafia; something that was inevitable as he was a young Sky without any guardians. Though his clumsiness increased and his focus was easily diverted, his yōkai side tried to balance the loss of his flames. He kept up the act of the clumsy useless idiot, but it wasn't easy. It still wasn't, but at least now with people by his side it was more tolerable. Tsuna glanced at his friends. Hayato, who was sitting beside him, looked utterly bored and paid close to zero attention at what the Miko was saying. Takeshi, who was at the other side of him, calmly drunk his tea with his good arm and looked for the entire world like the oblivious, happy-go-lucky idiot he portrayed himself to be. The brunette would've once been fooled too, but now he knew better. Shoulders tense, closed eyes sharp, jaw set in a firm line; they were signs that showed how serious the baseball fanatic was.

Takeshi, feeling the brunette's gaze on him, sent a tight lip smile at him, reassuring him. Tsuna simply nodded but still opened his senses to see if he could pick up anything; and he certainly did. Permitting the air in the room was the aura of a strong yōkai. It made him feel a little dizzy but quickly shooed the feeling away, trying to locate its source. The aura stacked thicker around the captivated classmates of his and around…the Miko. Well, he certainly wasn't expecting that. Paying closer attention at her, he noticed how her aura swirled around her before spreading. It wasn't malicious though. It held kindness; and a genuine one at that. He decided to leave her alone. The aura of someone, whether they are a human or yōkai, always betrayed their true character. If she wanted to cause them harm, he knew the perfect people to deal with her. Though now, since she simply seemed to be content with staying at the shrine, there was no point in calling _them_ here.

A nudge to his shoulder broke him out of his reverie. He looked at Hayato who had a concerned look in his eyes before noticing that the rest of the class was getting up. His storm informed him that they could have lunch at the grounds if they so wished before descending the mountain. Tsuna nodded before ushering his friends to go on outside and that he would follow them in a bit. At their questioning gazes he said that his legs had fallen asleep under him and he needed to wait for circulation to return. Takeshi, who knew quite well how annoying that was, dragged a kicking Hayato outside. Tsuna chuckled after those two before turning his attention at the only remaining person in the room.

Piercing blue eyes locked on his orange ones. The Miko was interested at the color change but voiced none of that. She had sensed the young Halfling when he entered her grounds. It was astonishing how someone with what seemed to be a weak aura could withstand the one of this holly place. She had tried to delve deeper into his aura in order to see what made him so resilient but what appeared to be like a wall of orange fire blocked her vision and pushed her away. A cold blue fire, like rain, trilled at the edge of her vision, a raging red one accompanying it. They felt defensive, like trying to protect the flames that belonged to the young brunette. The bearers of those were interesting too, but not as much as the Halfling sitting in front of her at the moment.

"I never expected to see a young Halfling in these grounds." The boy seemed to tense at her words. _'Curious...'_ "Pray tell, what business to you have surrounding yourself with those humans, little yōkai?"

Tsuna forcibly relaxed his body before answering. "And I never expected to see a strong yōkai such as you living in this holly place." An amused smile graced the rosy lips of the Miko but he paid it no mind. "As for why I am here, well those are my schoolmates and I am sure our teacher explained the reason as to why we are here." Reborn would certainly be proud if he heard him now. "Though I have a question myself; why are you here?"

The amused smile never left her lips as she spoke. "I see. A little Halfling playing human. That's interesting indeed." She closed her vibrant eyes, missing the way Tsuna seemed to bristle at her comment. "As to answer your question, this is my home and it has been for a very long time." A sad smile replaced her previous one. "The name's Kukuri-Hime and I was originally the goddess of mediation before becoming the deity and land-god of this shrine." As if on silent command, Tsuna could hear a distant bell chime in the wind and the feather like touches of silk warping around his mind.

"W-what…" He managed to stutter as he felt himself ready to faint. There was a tugging somewhere deep inside him; violent and raging. A terrible static played in his ears. He almost toppled over from his seat if not for the gentle yet firm grip of the Miko. Through bleary eyes he could see her lips moving, chanting something familiar, but no sound reached him. Soon, the buzzing subsided, his vision stopped swimming and the world righted itself again. Pressing a palm to his forehead he shook away the last traces of dizziness and looked thankfully yet inquiring at the Miko.

"I must apologize. I didn't expect that your yōkai half would retaliate so strongly upon hearing my true name. I tried to show you my true appearance. There are so few of the remaining clans that once served us that I tend to forget the results if one of their untrained disciples meet with us." Her expression was soft, vibrant blue gazing apologetically at swimming orange.

"It's alright… I guess. Though, I am curious, what did you mean by clans that once served you?"

"You don't know?" Though her voice hadn't changed in level, a touch of surprise was notable until understanding downed on her. "I see… so you must be a child of a diverter… and a strong one too…" She mumbled to herself and Tsuna had to strain his ears in order to hear the faint whispers. Before she could be questioned she spoke louder but still in a gentle tone. "I matters not. Not for now at least. It's not my place to speak of these matters to you even if I want to help." She shook her head when she saw Tsuna ready to open his mouth.

The brunette knew that he wouldn't get answers anytime soon so he let the matter drop for now. "Is there anything else you would like to tell me Kukuri-Hime-no-Kami, or may I excuse myself? I'm afraid my friends will start getting too worried if I don't return to their sides soon." He bowed in front of the deity slightly and spoke reverently, like his mother and ojii-san had shown him when speaking to a deity; especially in their domain. Though he wasn't looking directly at the Miko he could feel her surprise at his sudden change in demeanor. He felt slightly bad for maintaining the distant and professional front in front of someone so close to his other half but he knew it wasn't worth the trouble getting involved in that world again would bring; not now that he finally started feeling like he might belong somewhere.

The deity looked at the young Halfling in front of her with a distant echo of sadness and it wasn't for the fact he practically dismissed himself with that cold and emotionless façade. "That is all. You may go." Her voice was as emotionless as the brunette's but her eyes betrayed anything but that. As she watched the retreating back of the young yōkai glimpses of the future unraveled in front of her; colorful images with flames in the colors of the rainbow scattered across them, some carried sadness, some desperation, some happiness; all of them screamed family. _'Such a diverse future, so many choices, so many outcomes… it's been quite some time since I saw a mortal's fate so closely entwined with the fate of the world as a whole.'_ She watched as the brunette joined his companions. The dark haired one was encased in an azure aura while the silverette in crimson one; one the calming rain, the other the raging storm. Both complete opposites of the other yet they subconsciously worked in perfect harmony around the shorter male of the trio. _'It would be interesting to see where this will lead to… hehe curious indeed.'_

"I shall wait for your return, young Halfling." Vibrant blue eyes flashed in the darkening of the room, observing carefully the unraveling of the strings that held the future.

xxx

The second time Tsuna seriously cursed his yōkai heritage was during that stupid test of courage their class hosted on Halloween. He remembered the last test of courage his little family had participated on… and the disaster and chaos that usually followed them… So it wasn't an understatement to say that the young boss-in-training wasn't amused, at all. It took the combined effort of Enma, Haru, Kyoko and, surprisingly, Takeshi before he agreed to come with them.

It was sometime after the Arcoballeno battle. The seven strongest plus Lal Milch were all huddled in one of Verde's laboratories in Namimori checking about their growth after the curse-braking. Reborn had shoot them an amused look when they explained him why Tsuna was off meticulously baking cookies, i.e. pouting in the kitchen, before informing them of where he will be for a few days. They all nodded in understanding before chuckling when an apron wearing Tsuna emerged to give a warped plate of fresh cookies to Reborn and shooing him off before returning to the kitchen. Reborn had been too surprised at that time to retaliate, Tsuna thought, or it might have been the newly created bond between them atop the smell of a plateful of chocolate chip cookies that prevented any bodily harm to befall on the brunette.

So after stuffing every member of his family to the brim with freshly baked goodies, it was with a heavy heart that Tsuna followed the sugar-hyped guardians and friends of his to the assigned spot. Unlike other years where the spot for the test of courage never changed, this time some idiot had decided to host it in the old abandoned mansion deep in the forest of Namimori. Tsuna had came across the place a few times, both during his training with Reborn and way back before he met any of his friends. It was a really old place, reminiscent to all those horror movies the guys liked to watch from time to time. Even Reborn had decided to stay far away from the mansion when he found it too. He had even asked the brunette if he knew anything about it, to which Tsuna replied that he knew next to nothing about it other than the fact that it was built by a foreigner businessman and his group some hundred years ago but it was abandoned by their descendants when they moved to bigger cities. The hitman had given a blank look at the mansion before dismissing it and kicking the brunette back to training, quite literally.

Even now that he had faced so many close-to-death situations, this place gave him the creeps. It wasn't the fact that it might have become home for a few predators or poisonous snakes or even the off chance that it might collapse atop their heads while inside that upset him. No, it was the simple fact that he could sense the faint presence of yōkai somewhere inside. He wasn't scared of them per say… just the fact their mere presence so close to his unsuspecting family brought up a fear he hoped to keep buried deep inside him had him on edge. The others had sensed his nerves through their bond and gave him their own varied looks of concern. He simply composed himself and shook his head at them. He wouldn't let a few measly yōkai destroy their outing. So ignoring the small alarms his intuition was ringing, he paid attention at what their class president was saying.

Nishi Fukami was quite laid back despite her popularity among the student body. She always kept her long black hair in a neat ponytail and was also the captain of the girls' track team along with being their class president. Her twin brother Keiji was the student council president and one of the best artists Namimori high ever had. His spiky hair resembling Takeshi's own, only he always left a tuff on his right side longer than the rest of his hair. Now, standing side by side while Fukami explained the rules, Tsuna could notice the subtle differences between them that most tended to ignore when hearing of identical twins. Gender aside, they were almost opposites. Keiji always wore a smile on his face and was calm in all situations while Fukami, despite her nearly emotionless demeanor, was easy to set off. _'They are an interesting pair of siblings, complementing each other's weakness. I wonder what they'll do when they're gonna inherit their parents' corporation?... Might try persuading the civilian part of Vongola to enter a contract with them in the future…'_

Tsuna filed the idea for a later time and then looked at his friends as they choose their partners. Kyoko had navigated to the cloud guardian that, for some reason, decided to come with them without much fuss. Haru had practically pounced on Hayato and dragged him off into the mansion before the bomber could even say anything. Mukuro had laid a hand on Chrome's shoulder and started chuckling with her, conspiracy in their eyes. Ryohei had looked ready to pout when his little sister went to another male but soon brightened up and dragged a chuckling Takeshi with him. Lambo and I-pin had been left at home with the promise of a homemade cake. That only left Enma and Tsuna. Hana had refused to participate and was instead handing off tugs for the pairs that went in. Shrugging at each other with twitchy smiles, they went closer to Hana. She looked at them with a bored expression before handing off two tugs and checking their names at her clipboard.

As soon as they stepped across the threshold, violent shivers run down both young bosses' spine. Despite the high humidity outside, inside it was a completely different matter. The air felt motionless, stale, and an icy cold penetrated and sat deep in their bones. Tsuna had felt like that once before, when his mother had taken him to a trip at Tōno Village; while inside the barrier that kept the place hidden, the cold of the storm cascaded down at the village and took hold of the weak freezing them to the core, while the motionless wind grew stale without the Kamaitachi to control and stir it. It hadn't been a pleasant stay for Tsuna, especially since his then 6-year-old self had to feed off of his mother's aura so he could survive the oppressive fear of that place. With a weary sigh, he looked at Enma beside him. The red haired boy had a hazed look and his clenched fists were slightly shaking. Tsuna became worried and went to shake the other out of it. He barely touched the others shoulder when he jerked away from the brunette. "Enma-kun... Are you okay?" He held his outstretched hand fisted close to him as he looked with concern at his friend.

Enma had entered in a short of trance when they went inside. He had been sensitive to anything supernatural or otherworldly for as long as he could remember. It might have to do with his flames being so connected to the earth's wavelengths that anything defying nature itself made his mind go high-wire crazy. He had felt it before when closer to the Vongola guardians, but never this strong. It was like the place itself was defying every law of nature itself and he could feel through his flames that earth's wavelengths fell into disarray here. So focused in keeping his cool, he completely forgot about Tsuna, _his friend_ , standing just a little away from himself, that when he felt something _unnatural_ coming close to touching him he nearly jumped out of his skin. _Weird, enemy_ screamed his frazzled mind; _brother, Tsuna_ gently hushed out his heart. His mind slowly quieted down and managed to register the brunette's question. His body slowly relaxed too, and heaving a sigh, he nodded at the others direction with a small unsure smile. Though the concern didn't vanish from the caramel eyes, the smile send his way was reassuring, as was the familiar warmth of the brunette's hand in his.

Both fell into a familiar silence as they traversed down the hallways, weakened planks groaning under their light steps and rotten spots cracking under their weight. They explored a few of the rooms they came across. Some looked like with some dusting they could house people again…others not so much. One in particular that they discovered, after they managed to dislodge and open the damaged door, had actually caved in. Parts of the roof were still hanging precariously from rotten support beams, while the rest had wedged themselves deep into the moist earth beneath the room, taking with them any and all decorations that might have once adorned it. In the distance they could hear water running. Undergrowth had flourish through the cracks of broken wood and they could faintly hear small yapping noises of fox kits somewhere near the other side. They had closed the door after that and prayed that no idiots would disturb the nest in that room.

They had reached what must have been the middle of the mansion, if the staircase leading to upper floors was any indication, when they heard another pair; or to be more accurate, the other pair's screams. They both jumped at the sound and bumped against each other, their hands still entwined for mental support, before looking up at the thunder of footsteps approaching. In just an instant, a blur of what must've been a pair of girls from the track team, shoot down the stairs and past them in record time, all the while high pitched whimpers accompanying them. The pair of young bosses stood there shell shocked watching the trails of dust the girls left behind before looking at each other and gulping audibly before tentatively making their way upstairs. The wood under their feet protested profusely the longer they ascended. When they landed on the first floor they took stock of their options; go ahead the way those girls came screaming from, go right were a narrow hallway circled the inside balcony and led to what must've been boring guest rooms or go right and upstairs to the second floor where he could feel his Mists fooling around scaring everyone with their illusions. They certainly weren't going up until the Mists grew bored of their pranks and no matter how everyone called them cowards they weren't going for the boring option.

The wide hallway that faced the stairwell fell ominous in a way no illusion trap felt. Tsuna knew that the Mists hadn't tempered with this floor so that only left one other conclusion; yōkai. He seriously wanted to reconsider his options but he couldn't find a way to convince Enma without revealing anything. So with a barely audible sigh they continued down their path keeping a close eye to any shadows. It wasn't until they had reached the end of it where it branched off to two narrow ones that his intuition went high-ware. He glanced nervously down the one at his right and could faintly detect a chill drifting their way despite the lack of air motion. Enma must've sensed something down that hallway too, 'cause in the moment it took Tsuna to blink the red haired dragged him down that particular one. An uncomfortable feeling settled deep into the brunette's stomach, making him feel like he swallowed rocks instead of the puffy cream cake he had.

Enma had once again a hazed look in his eyes but this time they seemed alight with his flames shimmering just beneath the surface. Tsuna noticed that and called forth his own to shimmer just barely there. It was a trick both were glad to master since it allowed for the calm and composure that Hyper Dying Will Mode ensued without all the lights show fanfare and with more emotion too. So with eyes blazing target red and sunset orange, the two young Mafia bosses scored the dusty and cobweb-filled narrow hallway. As they passed beside a closed sliding door an uneasy feeling pressed down on them. Goosebumps traveled down their limbs and the two stood outside the enclosed room. It felt like standing too close to a cold-spot in one of those horror movies where they would check the room, find nothing and as they're about to dismiss it as trick of the mind one of them would get trap and die from something supernatural. _'Yeah… not the best imagery for the moment brain…'_

Tsuna made the first move and cautiously slide the panel open. The sight that greeted them made both of them gasp; not in fright but amazement. Warning signals completely forgotten, they watched mesmerized as the light of the moon castes an ethereal glow to the forest's greenery. A silver shimmering length that zigzagged through the undergrowth was identified as a small stream. With a start they realized that the part of the room that had collapsed leaving its side gaping open was right where the caved in room was. They took small steps in what once may have been an amazingly beautiful bedroom of one of the lords that lived here, the only remaining panel at the far gaping hole clinging to the wall betraying the presence of a balcony. So mesmerized they were from the scenery that when one of them stepped on something weak that gave way, the resounding crack made both of them jump and their flames to briefly lash out of their confines and shine on their foreheads.

They quickly reined their flames and quickening heartbeats and took a step back to see what Enma stepped on. What they saw made them queasy. Lying almost innocently in front of them was a clear white, and now cracked, bone. The ominous feeling returned tenfold and they both started searching with their gazes the room. What little hope they had that the bone belonged to an animal disparaged when they noticed the half smashed in human skull in the far corner, hidden deep in the shadows. A choked cry escaped the red haired accompanied by the brunette's small whimper. Whatever had done that to the poor soul wasn't playing around… they were glad they were the only ones at this section of the mansion. They could feel that whatever attacked these humans (they noticed the mount of bones half buried beneath the rumble behind that skull) was still near them. They also knew it was stupid from their part to not stand back to back but they were already too late. A dragging sound and suddenly Enma was off his feet flying across the room, through the right wall and straight into a sturdy support beam. A loud crack penetrated the still air and the thump of the Simon's boss' boneless body hitting the floor had Tsuna fearing for his friend. His intuition was screaming two things at once and in the time it took him to intercept both a strong hand had taken hold of his neck and his own back nearly cracked at the impact with the floor. Survival instincts kicking in, his hands grabbed the offending arm, and before he could take in the features of his attacker, his knees bend and he kicked his body upwards, putting pressure into his shoulder blades. In quick succession and a show of flexibility that would've make Reborn proud, he warped his legs around the perpetrators neck and had them in a triangle choke hold.

A strangled whizzing noise escaped the shadowed person's lips and the hand choking him relaxed its grip. Tsuna distanced his neck away and quickly changed his grip on the arm so that the inside faced upwards. He remembered when he learned that move to always break the arm at the joint if the one he used it on was after his life. _'No second guesses, no hesitation. If they're going for the kill, they should be prepared to die too.'_ Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he pushed his abdomen upwards and with a straining effort along with the sound of increasing screaming, he felt the joint give way and bent unnaturally with a pop. A shrilling noise escaped the person in his hold before the body going limp from pain accompanied by shivers from shock. Tsuna felt shocked too from what he did, but quickly pushed it aside. He angled himself sideways, leading the body of the attacker to lie down, his legs still warped around their neck. Letting go of the broken limp he straddled the others waist, his feet digging into the other's calves, his hands held in position beside him.

Slowly getting down of his adrenaline high, he took stock of the one groaning in pain beneath him. It looked almost like a regular human man… if it wasn't for the wide mouth with razor sharp teeth and long talons for nails he could see. It wore a dirty old kimono, its green color faded, looking sickly and splattered with dried splotches of blood. The skin looked almost translucent if he didn't focus on it, leaving the haunted afterimage of tattered clothes hanging onto a skeleton. The yōkai was nearly bald, patches of matted hair sticking out here and there. Its faded brown eyes were bleary from pain but they slowly focused at Tsuna. A guttural growl was thrown at him but the yōkai's body refused to obey other than the occasional spasm. Its eyes narrowed at the boy having it pinned down and sharp fangs flashed at the moonlight.

Tsuna simply narrowed his eyes at it. The caramel that had met the faded brown turned bright orange in an instant, taking by surprise the other. A powerful aura emitted from the brunette, quite akin to a yōkai's fear but purer, and the trapped one knew he was on the losing end. Despite its attempts to not show how affected it was, fear shown in its expression for the briefest of moments… and the brunette show it. Still keeping in mind that this yōkai was going to kill them (and he really needed to check on Enma asap) he took a page of his mentor's book and let a sadistic smirk adorn his previously emotionless face. He felt the other quiver under him and instead of making him feel sick for instilling such fear to an opponent, he felt satisfaction; no one hurt his family and got away unscathed. So cracking his knuckles for further intimidation, he questioned the yōkai. " **Who are you?** "

"...Jikininki"

" **Why did you attack us?** "

"Hungry… e-eat flesh… n-newly diseased…"

" **And you thought that by killing us you could gorge yourself? Disgusting.** " A growl, low and menacing left Tsuna. He'd red once about that type of yōkai. They were pitiful ones; not truly alive yet not dead either. They could only eat the flesh of the recently diseased. It shouldn't bring pleasure to them but it was necessary to them to keep their sanity. This one though… despite the obvious pain it was in, Tsuna could see the malicious glee in its glazed eyes. It sent shivers down his spine and made his blood boil with anger. " **You know of the Nura Clan I presume…** " A widening of eyes was all answer he needed. " **Then you should know how unlucky you are too…** " The sadistic smirk came back full force, his orange eyes glinting something evil. " **For what you attempted to do tonight, you will sorely wish they had found you instead of me~** "

A crackling of flames and the silent abandoned compound was filled with eerie screams. Most of the students had already vacated the building at the first set of screams coming from the first floor with the only remaining ones being the Vongola group gathered near the entrance. The guardians had felt the distress of their boss but the sudden turn of emotions afterwards had them all practically scrambling to find each other. Never before had they felt such sadistic glee coming from their boss though the strong protectiveness accompanying it had them relaxing somewhat. What made them jump though were the eerie screams followed by a wave of Sky flames. The Mists could recognize the screams for tortured ones and Mukuro could only wonder what made the gentle Sky turn vengeful. None of them dared move a muscle and approach the location they could feel their boss was; they knew they weren't needed… nor did they want to see that side of their boss yet.

It didn't take long for the raging and purifying Sky Flames to burn through the yōkai's body, consuming its whole existence and purging it. All the while Tsuna stared stoically at the burning being under him. He felt the heat of his flames even if they weren't harmful to him and felt the body giving way to his weight as it slowly disintegrated into ashes. Once the process was finished and the only indication of another being there was the shoot beneath him he reined his flames in and stood up. With the clarity his flames provided he easily made his way to the crumbled body of his friend and with dexterous hands righted the other's position and checked for vitals. He felt immense relief once he felt a pulse but grew concerned again at how faint it was. He remembered the resounding crack of Enma's impact with the support beam and quickly sent a pulse of his flames to the red haired's body to scourge for any damage before he started hyperventilating. He nearly sagged when he found nothing worrying. He must have activated his flames at the last minute just enough to avoid any permanent damage. He withdrew his flames and gently shook the other boy. A small moan and fluttering of long eyelashes was all the indication he got before Enma slipped to unconsciousness again. Shaking his head and taking a mental note to get the other checked at a hospital for concussion he steadily stood up supporting the young Simon boss too.

Tsuna slowly made his way back to entrance, ignoring the groaning and creaking of the place around him, focusing solely at the dead weight of Enma on his back and his steady breathing sending warm puffs to his neck. The presence of the other, even unconscious, along with the strain in his muscles to support both helped to ground him and chase away the memories of what he had just done. A part of him, a small one, the one still innocent to the cruelty of the world, cried out too him at the wrongness of the situation; another part though, the biggest one, the one that held all the protectiveness for his family, silently seethed and raged at any possible threat. What he did was cruel and unheard of the gentleness he usually possessed, he knew that much, but he also couldn't, wouldn't, let anyone touch his family without going through him first. It wasn't in his nature to be violent, he pretty much loathed it, but if shove come to push then he would repay his enemies tenfold of the damage they inflicted. He remembered Reborn's lessons and wholeheartedly agreed to them now.

As he looked at the concerned but understanding faces of his family as he approached he knew that he had to protect them whenever possible. He cringed thinking at the nightmares today's and future fiascos will bring, but if it was for his dear family he would endure anything as long as they were there to pull him out of the darkness.

* * *

 **Here's the second one-shot! Again please ignore any mistakes you might find... I can't find my beta so I have to do any last minute proof reading myself. I hope you enjoy and... sorry for the occness?**


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